


First Order Pilot Poe Dameron

by jamesilver



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: First Meeting, M/M, for both of the ships, i include original characters among which are a bunch of knights of ren, i will post more tags as i post more chapters, its just that they were childhood friends, not darkpilot, reference to past/ childhood abuse, the nightsisters are here too, there is kylux, there is stormpilot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-14 04:59:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10529439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamesilver/pseuds/jamesilver
Summary: The Knights of Ren weren't always part of the First Order. They used to be an independent group until Snoke sold them out. After being defeated in battle and betrayed by one of their own, the Knights of Ren (and a certain Resistance pilot who was abducted and did not want to take part in this) are now prisoners of the First Order.





	1. Traitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some gory details in here:  
> \- someone chokes on blood  
> \- someone chokes because they're being strangled
> 
> Just a warning

_ A Smuggling Ship, Heading Through the Mirrin Sector _

 

“Sir.” Kylo turned, coming face to face with Nattu Ren, wondering what could be going on. 

“Sir, we are approaching the Mirrin sector.” Kylo Ren tried to resist from visibly groaning. Here they were, disguised as a smuggling ship on their way to meet with Kanjiklub to ‘discuss’ obtaining supplies, and now they were about to run into the Rapier Squadron.

“I want everything ready to fire. And be ready to do so. As soon as something  _ moves,  _ you shoot it, do you understand me? The Rapier Squadron is only  _ four members  _ it shouldn’t be this difficult to get past them.” Nattu Ren nodded, turning and instructing the mercenaries aboard accordingly. The Knights of Ren were out of almost everything, except money. They could hire enough help to get them to where they needed to go, and right now they needed to contact every smuggling group they knew of for supplies. They needed to be ready. 

Just because Lord Snoke was involved with the Knights of Ren and had even hand-trained some of them himself, did not mean they did worked for the First Order with which he was so preciously affiliated. And, now Snoke seemed to be changing his mind. The Knights had all agreed long ago that they wanted no part in this battle against the Resistance. They were in charge of destroying the Jedi, not the supporters of the Jedi. They were two separate tasks, for two separate groups. Kylo began to get angry once again bringing these thoughts back up. 

So he and Nattu were headed to meet with Kanjiklub, and other Knights of Ren were meeting with other smuggling groups to obtain supplies for when the First Order undoubtedly tried to coerce them into cooperation by force. Kylo felt the first hit. The Rapier Squadron struck quick and they were sly. The first thing they hit was their main weapon systems. They couldn't fight back. Nattu informed Kylo that they would have to stop very discreetly on Mirrin Prime for repairs: they couldn't show up at Kanjiklub's doorstep with no weapons: it was suicide. 

  
  


_ Mirrin Prime, A Starship Repair Garage _

 

"It'll only take a few hours: we have all the parts here." 

Before the starship mechanic finished speaking most of the hired mercenaries were out the door. It might have been their ship but just because they're getting paid to go this way doesn't mean they have to hang around during repairs. One was slower than the rest and was ordered to stay behind and wait. Nattu and Kylo walked out, feeling the sun burning on their backs immediately. Kylo was jittery walking out in the open without his mask on. 

The problem is that Mirrin Prime is heavily affiliated with the Republic and the Resistance. That's why the Rapier Squadron protected them. That was also why it was crucial that the crew was not found out to have two Knights of Ren. They were smugglers, nothing more. The light-colored clothing was strange to Kylo— it reminded him of his days when he was young and in training to be a Jedi. In fact, he had even been to Mirrin Prime during his training. 

The flashbacks were too intense. Kylo barely noticed as they entered a tavern. He was blindly following Nattu. He could practically see his uncle walking in front of him yelling 'keep up, Ben', 'do this, Ben', 'get R2 over here, Ben', 'hurry up, Ben' 

"...Ben...Ben....Ben..." Kylo muttered subconsciously under his breath. Nattu sat down and Kylo followed, sitting next to him. His moves were mechanic. He couldn't stop thinking about his Jedi training. 

He remembered sitting on the windiest spots of whatever planet they were on and being told to meditate. He remembered how frustrated he would get. How he would sit there for hours barely able to keep himself from screaming, let alone being able to meditate. He would look over at his uncle Luke, watch him as he sat, breathing steady, moving less than the droids. How Luke would say his name in that tone that meant “try again”. 

"...Ben...Ben..." 

He remembered the cold on Hoth. The ice crystals that would form on his skin from sweat during combat practice-- how their hands would be red-raw and cut by the sticks they were using, their gloves full of holes. He could feel  his ribs hitting the ground, see the purple bruises on his skin, hear his name being yelled during sparring. 

"...Ben...Ben...Ben..." The flashbacks were almost too heavy. He stopped. His lips froze, shut. Meditated. His breathing calmed and his mind cleared. His eyes were open but no important thoughts were produced from the things he was seeing. Only the Force flooded his senses. He could feel it all over, connecting each person, each object. Calm was carried to him through the Force. 

"Ben!" The name once more shook him out of his own head. But it wasn't him who said it. Kylo froze, staring ahead of him, refusing to even look in the direction of whoever could have recognized him. "Ben Solo? Ben, is that you?" Still not moving, Kylo could see Nattu next to him, straightening, uneasy. Kylo focused, waiting to place the voice as it spoke again. "It is! That's Ben Solo!" 

It was his childhood best friend. He knew the voice immediately; he would know it anywhere, no matter how age changed it. Kylo's head turned towards the door. Standing in the doorway were four orange colored pilots. Kylo's jaw almost dropped when he realized that Poe Dameron was part of the Rapier Squadron. With a beaming face, the pilot made his way over to him, the other three members of the Rapier Squadron ordering drinks. 

"What's up with you, Solo? What are you up to these days?" Poe was glowing. His helmet was calmly balancing between his wrist and thigh. He had definitely made a name for himself since they were kids. 

Kylo cleared his throat lightly, staying with the ruse. "Smuggling," he answered, giving no further elaboration, but Poe didn't get the vibes Kylo was putting off that he didn't want to talk. 

"Ah, like father like son, huh?" Poe glanced over his shoulder because of something shouted at him, luckily missing the flinch that raged across Kylo's face with the mention of his father. 

The conversation continued in a rather grueling pace, introducing Nattu as Arlyt considering Nattu Ren wasn't the best name to be going by, which is why Kylo didn't correct Poe. The pilot hung around with them for a while until his friends decided to leave. He wandered away to say goodbye, and Nattu leaned over to Kylo. 

"We could use him, you know, Sir," Nattu said quietly. 

"What do you mean?" Kylo shot him a sharp glance. 

"He's an amazing pilot and he obviously knows how to attack ships that should easily win against him in combat. If we're going against the First Order, those are the kind of tactics that would really benefit us. We can't just stay on defense." Kylo was quiet a moment, considering what Nattu had said. It was true, it was very true: they could definitely benefit from the help of the Commander of the Rapier Squadron. 

"Alright," Kylo relented. "But how do we get him out of here? If he knows that we're not smugglers, he won't leave with us. As soon as he sees the mercenaries he will know. Right now he just thinks we're pilot and copilot." 

"We have to get him out of here now. A ruse would work. Something about our ship, maybe." 

"The inside of that ship does not look like a smuggling ship, Nattu." Kylo looked at him like that was common sense. "Poe would know that; he and I were on my..." He swallowed hard, preparing himself for the word. "...my father's ship, all the time as children."

"Sir, with all do respect, we only need to get him out of this building. It's deserted outside. If we watch to see that no one's left recently..." Nattu trailed off, not needing to finish his sentence. Kylo nodded during the silence. "He's unarmed," Nattu said, sealing their plan as Poe walked back over, his friends already out the door. 

"Listen, guys," Poe began talking before he was close enough to, obviously starting to feel how much he had had to drink. "Again, really sorry about shooting you guys down back there. I mean, that's what we do. Ask questions later, ya know? They either keep going without weapons systems or stop here for repairs. It's actually a pretty great situation." 

"Yeah, yeah, we understand," Nattu said. "Hey, do you wanna come get a better look at our ship so you don't shoot us on the way back?" Kylo had to give it to Nattu, it was a fairly logical question, and it got the three of them walking out of the building together. 

Poe walked in front of Nattu and Kylo. As soon as the door shut behind them, both Knights of Ren pulled out their lightsabers, turning them on. The sound caused Poe to turn around. Obviously confused he asked, "Why do you guys have red lightsabers? Those are for Sith..." Kylo and Nattu looked at him expectantly, waiting for the realization that he was being scammed to kick in. "But, Ben, you were training for--"

"My name is Kylo Ren." He drew every word out slowly, making sure Poe got the picture. "This is Nattu Ren. You're coming with us."   
  


 

_ A Smuggling Ship, In the Mirrin Sector  _

 

Kylo Ren stood in front of Commander Poe Dameron, now prisoner on the disguised smuggling ship, consulting with Nattu. Once Kylo's point was made clear, the other knight nodded and walked to the pilot. 

"Ben," Poe whispered. Kylo ignored him. "Ben!" He whisper-yelled. "Alright. Fine. What did you say your name was now? Ly-something?" 

"Kylo. Kylo Ren." He refused to turn and look at Poe yet. 

"Ren? Ugh, nooo. The Knights of Ren? How could you get involved with such bad guys? That's not a good crowd. Isn't that run by that one guy who also runs the First Order? Your mother is the general of the Resistance! How could you be working for the First Order?" Poe finally finished speaking, leaving his questions heavy in the air. 

"Lord Snoke does not control the Knights of Ren.  _ I _ am the leader of the Knights of Ren." Kylo slowly turned around, looking Poe in the eyes. "We do not work for the First Order. However, we suspect that Lord Snoke will soon attempt to force us to join the First Order. That is why we are meeting with smuggling groups to obtain weapons." He paused, and Poe swooped in with another question. 

"So why did you kidnap me?" 

Kylo considered ignoring this question altogether at this point, but Nattu shot him a look from behind Poe. "You are an extraordinary pilot. You will help us fight the First Order." 

Poe sat silent for a moment, considering what he heard and what his response would be. "Alright, I mean the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? I'll help you and I'll do the best I can, but only if you promise to let me go afterwards." It was a risky deal— Poe knew that he would be helping an organization that he was against, but he was more against the First Order. It also seemed to be the only solid plan he could come up with to get out.   
  


 

_ Knights of Ren Temporary Battle Station _

 

Weeks later, the Knights of Ren had all met up in First Order-allied space, knowing they could be ambushed at any point. 

"Nattu, take Kruk and Skakkard over here with five of them." Kylo pointed to a point in space with one hand and motioned to the hired soldiers. "Most likely they will come through this way—" he motioned to a strip of space between two planets that he didn't care enough to label. “— and in that case, you three will comprise our first line of defense." He looked around the group of compiled Knights and mercenaries, as well as Commander Poe Dameron, still in his orange pilot suit. "Commander, you and your predesignated team will be main offense. Nyhl, your team will be Commander Dameron's back-up. Anything he needs of you is all you are required to do. Unnu, Mhirn, Himrec-- you will remain on board. Under no circumstances are you to surrender this ship. Do you understand?" The three Knights nodded. "Alryn, you're in charge of the teams covering these four sides of the ship. Deashed, I want double lines on that last side, yes?" 

"Yes, sir," Deashed nodded. 

"Zusnak, Dakro and I will take the rest of the mercenaries as the last line of defense closest to the ship. Does everyone know where they're going?" 

There was a round of nods as well as mumbled 'yes, sirs'. Kylo nodded. "Then everyone get in place." 

Nattu, Kruk, and Skakkard had been waiting in their place for around ten minutes when the first attack came. But, none of them were hit like expected. Instead, the First Order attacked the weakest side. Alryn was yelling loudly across the coms, asking for help from anyone. Deashed was the closest and had the second largest force, but Kylo wasn't ready to send that in yet. 

"Alryn, I want you and everyone under your command to back up. Come back towards the ship, toward Dakro." 

"Kylo, are you insane?" Himrec's voice came through scratchy across the coms. "We want to draw them  _ away _ from the ship not  _ towards _ it. What are you doing?" 

"Mhirn, shut him up please," Zusnak responded, letting Kylo concentrate on his own problems. 

"Alryn, get them back here. Everyone else, stay where you are," Kylo ordered. Meanwhile, Poe and his fighters were hidden by the main ship. Kylo wanted to keep them hidden until the moment of attack. Well, if he was being honest, that was Poe's plan. The only problem was that there wasn't any other cover where they were. Himrec was still panicking, Kylo could hear Mhirn and Unnu struggling with him over the coms. He had been the only one who didn't think they would be able to stay detached from the First Order and should simply surrender. 

Kylo could now see the TIE-fighters coming towards them and Alryn's coms were cut off in the middle of a sentence. He was captured. Every one of the mercenaries that were in his force were dead. 

In front of him, he could see Zusnak and Dakro picking off TIE-fighters as they came forward. Any that got too close, Kylo shot. Just as he was about to send in Poe, Kruk was hit on the other side. Nattu and Skakkrad were yelling for help and Deashed abandoned his post to personally aid them, leaving his forces behind. 

The three on the other side were doing the same thing as Kylo. Before the situation could get even worse, Kylo said over the coms that he wanted Poe in. 

"Kylo Ren, with all respect, sir. I don't think we can do much if you send us in now," came the response from the Commander. 

"Then what is your suggestion, Commander?" Kylo snapped, getting angry and frustrated.  

"I think you should send Nyhl and his team, Deashead, and you three over to Nattu. Guard that side heavily. If you leave this side open, it would be logical to attack from there and when they get close enough, we'll hit 'em." 

Kylo considered it, unsure of which plan he wanted to go with— Poe's sounded fairly solid, but also risky. If Poe doesn't do enough, they're gone for sure. As Dakro's ship swooped down to avoid being hit, Kylo decided on a compromise. 

"Alright, Nyhl, Poe. Stay where you are. Deashed, get your entire team to Nattu. Zusnak, Dakro, we're going as well." With that, he turned around, heading under the ship to come up behind Skakkard. 

Kylo wasn't paying attention to when Poe sent Nyhl's team out, or when Poe went out himself. He didn't count how many fell around him, how many small starships exploded. It wasn't until his ship's controls were taken over that he was brought back to reality. 

The coms were down. He looked around him and saw few ships being drawn backwards alongside him. Reaching below him, Kylo picked up a blaster, tucking it inside his robes. His lightsaber he left on the outside, tucked in his belt where it should be. They would confiscate it and he didn't know when he would get it back. As he was drawn back onto the other side of the Knight's main ship, he saw it surrounded by small TIE-fighters. They weren't firing, but they weren't invading the ship either, which meant that Himrec, Unnu, and Mhirn were still fighting. Kylo's own words echoed in his head as he wished the coms were on so he could tell them to just give up. ' _ Under no circumstances are you to surrender this ship.'  _

Himrec was right. None of them had wanted to believe it, but they had known it all along. You can't defeat the First Order. That was the entire point. If the Knights of Ren could take the First Order, that would mean that The Resistance could as well. 

As his starfighter was being drawn inside a large First Order ship, he decided a different method: carefully and quickly he took the broken crystal out of his lightsaber, placing them carefully in an inside pocket in his robes, before replacing the useless metal stick back in his belt. He wanted to tell all the other Knights to do the same, but using the Force to do so would be easily intercepted if anyone on board the First Order ship was strong enough, so he decided against it. 

Then, darkness closed around his ship. The Knights of Ren were officially captured. As for Himrec, Unu, and Mhrin…they were going to die. At this point, Kylo didn’t know what was going to happen to the rest of them— what Snoke was going to do. Kylo inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. He had to be prepared for anything when he set foot on that ship. One thing he did know: he would never take an order from any part of the First Order that was not Lord Snoke.

 

_ A First Order Vessel, SS Gauntlet _

 

Kylo was escorted off of his ship by stormtroopers and marched into a room where the survivors from the battle were congregating. Alryn was already in the room when Kylo arrived and Zusnak arrived with Kylo. As the rest of the Knights streamed in, Kylo realized that Alryn wasn't surrounded by stormtroopers like the rest of them were-- he also had no Force cuffs. All Knights were disarmed and ordered to remove their masks. As soon as Kylo's came off, Alryn could feel his glare. 

"Mutiny," Kylo muttered as airlocks could be heard dislodging across the room. 

"What was that, Kylo?" Alryn asked him, a deadly look on his face. He walked close to Kylo, standing inches from his face. Kylo felt like spitting on him. It was one thing to be against their plan of going against the First Order, but it was another thing to lie. At least Himrec was honest about his opinions. And to an extent he was right: he's dead now. 

"You are a traitor and a liar." Every head in the room turned as Deashed spoke. Inwardly, Kylo cursed himself. Deashed was a good soldier, one of the best at battle tactics that Kylo had observed. Now, he was going to die. Even before the battle, if Kylo were to make a list of which Knights he wouldn't mind losing, Himrec would be first on the list and Alryn would come second. He was old, stubborn, and quiet. In contrast, Deashed was his third best soldier: Nattu, Zusnak, and then Deashed. 

As the rest of the surviving Knights watched, their traitor decided to make an example of Deashed. Kylo almost couldn't watch-- Deashed deserved a soldier's death. In battle, in command, a valiant death. Alryn wanted to make it painful for Deashed. As the entire room listened, they could hear the air being forced from his lungs, could hear the wet gasps as his lungs began to fill with blood. It was the death given to traitors: drown them in their own blood, with no exterior wounds. Dying as cause of your wounds was too close to the honorable death of a warrior. This was a slow process in which, like being waterboarded, the lungs would fill slightly as Deashed breathed in. The worst part is that it's mostly self-inflicted. Each breath was a struggle for survival that was also killing. 

None wanted to watch as Deashed was reduced to this. It was Alryn who deserved this. They were all forced to pay close attention. "Remember that you will die this way if you ever attempt to desert from the First Order." Deashed was struggling with the reflex to breathe. In times like these, one usually would feel the Force all around them, be able to be at peace during death. But oxygen deprivation wasn't the only thing strangling him. Then he did the most remarkable thing that anyone had ever seen. 

Deashed breathed in deeply, as deep as he could. They all knew that his lungs were filling and not a single person could understand why. He exhaled slowly, preparing himself for the death that would come with his next breath. Once more he inhaled, showing the greatest strength in his agony. With the last breath he had he spoke his last word: "Traitor." It was incredibly difficult to make out the word; he could barely speak past the blood that had filled his lungs and esophagus and was now into his mouth. After that he refused to breathe. Logically he knew that it wouldn't do any good, but instinctively he wanted to inhale. He held his breath until he passed out, crumpling to the ground. His unconscious body forced him to breathe once again and the room listened, the only sound being the gurgling as the blood bubbled as Deashed's body tried to breathe. Eventually the struggling stopped. 

Alryn visibly shook. "You should all be happy you have those Force cuffs on and weren't able to feel that." 

Even without the Force Kylo could feel it coming. He felt like clamping his hand around the kid's mouth to stop him, but there wasn't a thing he could do. "Only a coward would shy away from death. You should take pride in feeling the death of such a great warrior." Kylo glanced over at Nyhl, wanting to cringe. 

Nyhl was the newest member of the group. He had only been a Knight for a matter of months, but that had no effect on where his alliances stood. He was fiercely loyal. It was Kruk who had found Nyhl. He was a mercenary, worker for hire; he would do whatever was needed as long as he would get payed. Kruk had contracted him to help with a replacement of some starship parts. Nyhl had gotten him everything he needed with the little money that he was given. Turns out his skills of misdirection were actually Force manipulation. Even without training, he knew what he was doing. So, Kruk had brought him back with him. His training had progressed quickly with Skakkard teaching him. It was just mere weeks ago that Nyhl had faced the rest of the Knights in a battle to assess his lightsaber skills. He almost defeated Deashed. They called a draw with Zusnak. Of course, Nattu and Kylo were above him in terms of skills, but he had proved himself. Nyhl was on track to be a great warrior. 

His greatest and worst trait were the same: his loyalty. He was stubborn enough to never change his views, but stubborn enough to never leave anyone he felt close to. Deashed had given him advice once. Nyhl never forgot it and showed him great respect ever since. Alryn and Skakkard were his partners-- the three of them had taken Nyhl along everywhere with them, and he had lost them both. Now to Nyhl, Alryn wasn't just a traitor. Everything that had ever occurred between them was a lie. Nyhl would never forget that. It was clear from the look on his face that he was ready to kill Alryn with his bare hands and would if he were ever given the chance. 

Alryn looked at the kid with a look close to pity. "A great warrior? You think Deashed was a great warrior? He didn't even begin to fight back during that death. A true warrior would wish to live another day." 

Nyhl looked like he was about to lunge, but he only leaned forward against the stormtroopers' arms. "A true warrior wouldn't betray his comrades, leave them for dead, and give an honest man a death fit for the likes of himself." He spat out the words with fervor, knowing full well they could be his last. 

Alryn glared at him and Nyhl was brought to his knees. "If you want me to grovel for my life from the floor, you'll have to force my tongue as well as my knees." He knew full well what position he was in but this was a matter of defending Deashed's honor and life. The look on Alryn’s face made it clear that he wished he could crush the child’s trachea, but there was something holding him back. After a tense few moments of the two staring each other down, that something stepped into the room. 

The man entered the room and all the stormtroopers stood at attention, as best they could while still keeping a secure grip on the prisoners. “Alryn Ren, do we have a problem?” he asked. Judging by the uniform he was wearing and the actions of those in the room, he seemed like an important person in the First Order. 

“He does not deserve the name Ren. Marek Matitho is the only name he wouldn’t disgrace,” Nyhl spoke up from the floor. The entire room was shocked. Nyhl meant what he said. Using the name of someone from before they joined was an ultimate disgrace. He was aiming to hurt just as deeply as he was feeling, showing that everything he had said previously was from his heart. 

“And which one is this, Alryn?” The man asked, looking at Nyhl in disgust. “Can we dispose of him?”

“General, this is Nyhl Ren.” Alryn spat the words, clearly conveying that he felt that Nyhl also did not deserve the Ren title that he had only recently gained. 

“That is unfortunate,” the General remarked. Next, he glanced at Deashed’s lifeless body on the floor. “And that one?”

“Deashed Ren,” came the response. 

The General tsked, turning now to look Alryn in the eyes. “Lord Snoke would have preferred him alive.” 

“General, there was—“ 

“I’m sure you had your reasons and I trust that you were not intending to carry out the same decision with Nyhl Ren, Nattu Ren, Zusnak Ren, or Kylo Ren, as Lord Snoke did request those four be taken alive. Which are they?” He turned back to the gathered Knights, looking at them critically. Alyrn didn’t need to respond: it was clear from the way they held their heads high who they were. The General opened his mouth to speak once again, but was interrupted by a group of three stormtroopers walked in with a prisoner. 

“General Stecro,” A captain entered in front. “There was a Resistance Commander fighting with the Knights who did not come with us easily. What shall we do with him?” There was still a struggle— the prisoner was still trying to break out of the grasp of both the stormtroopers holding him. As the scuffle caused them to shift, Kylo caught a glimpse of Poe. 

He was bleeding, and fairly heavily at that. His struggle was understandable— stupid, but understandable. There wasn’t entirely a point because there wouldn’t be any way he could get out, but he was also showcasing that he would struggle against the First Order until his dying breath. Kylo wished he could use the Force to lace Poe’s mind with thoughts of serenity, reassure him that the Knights would also never bow to the First Order, tell Poe that he would personally get him out of this situation. 

“Let me see the prisoner,” Stecro responded, turning to face Poe. “He definitely is Resistance, just look at that orange.” He stepped closer to a now still Poe. “And, tell me, just what would a Resistance pilot be doing fighting alongside the Knights of Ren?” He was close, too close for Poe’s liking. 

Poe wanted to head bash him, but decided to maintain his suave personality throughout the encounter, show that he wasn’t afraid. Because he wasn’t. “Well, ya know, I figure anyone trying to not be a part of the First Order is someone I should help, right? I offered. It’s always a pleasure of mine to shoot TIE-fighters.” Poe smirked, still wondering how the hell he was going to get out of this one. 

General Stecro glanced down, seeing the name on the vest. “Dameron. Commander Dameron.” His eyes moved back up, meeting Poe’s. “You don’t happen to be the son of Captain Dameron?”

Poe held his head up high at the mention of his mother. “I’m proud to carry her name.” 

Stecro smiled. It wasn’t a polite smile, it wasn’t curt. It was sinister and terrifying. “Back when I was a young lieutenant, I had the honor of exploding her X-wing while she was in it.” Stecro turned around, his attention focused back on the Knights. As he began to speak again, Poe’s face dropped and he lunged at Stecro. 

Every stormtrooper in the room rushed to stop him, but they couldn’t stand against him and his rage. His fingers laced into Stecro’s hair, yanking his head back as his other arm reached and wrapped around the General’s throat. He was quick enough and the General was old enough that the entire room came to a halt, tense. 

“What are you going to do, kill me?” Stecro said. 

“I will,” Poe hissed through clenched teeth. It was clear by the look in his eyes that he would. He was ready to. 

“You don’t want to do that.” Everyone, including Poe, turned to Kylo Ren. “You are not the kind of person to commit a cold-blooded murder. He may have killed your mother, but you know that you cannot defend your actions against your own conscience. That is exactly why you are part of the Resistance and never took up any of the opportunities that were undoubtedly offered to you. You’re the best pilot in the Resistance, and you know it, too.” Kylo made sure to drop this in a way that wasn’t too subtle— the First Order needed to know that despite Poe’s actions, he was worth keeping alive. Kylo was fighting for Poe’s life more than he was and it disgusted him. “And, General, he did not offer his services. He was abducted and forced to fight with us.” He then transferred his gaze to Poe. “Let him go.” There was an implied, “give up” with it. 

Poe let Stecro go. Immediately, three stormtroopers grabbed onto him, making sure that this time he was secure. Steer rubbed his neck, looking unhappy. “Alryn, I want all of these prisoners to be kept under lock and key until Lord Snoke assigns them to a ship. Keep the Force cuffs on. I will call for Kylo Ren soon to see if we can reach a compromise with the Knights.” With that, the general left the room, not looking at anyone. 

  
  


_ A Small Room for Prisoners, SS Gauntlet  _

 

None of them spoke. The entire company still felt betrayed, each processing their feelings differently. Nyhl meditated. Even with the Force cuffs on he still found focus on letting his thoughts float by, unimportant. Back straight, legs crossed, eyes only half open. This way, he wasn’t consumed with his thoughts of betrayal, was intent on not giving Alryn the satisfaction of thinking of him every moment, even if it was only to plan the many ways in which Nyhl could execute his revenge. Every time the thoughts of homicide began to strive for dominance in his mind, he calmed them back down again. He didn’t shove them into a bottle to be ignored, e simply let them wander around his mind without paying them any attention. In this way, he was content despite the gory depictions of murder that would flash through his thoughts. 

Zusnak, on the other hand, sat focused on his anger. Of course, he was shocked by Alryn’s betrayal, but he refused to let himself be hurt by it. He was too strong to feel pain from something so petty. Instead, he centralized all of his anger and replayed the moments when he watched Deashed die. Out of all the Knights, the closest were Zusnak and Deashed. Occasionally, Dakro would tag along with them, but the two had been friends for longer than they could remember, had joined the Knights together. Flashbacks from their past together crept up and layered themselves over the images and sounds of the blood. In his mind he could see the two of them as children, learning how to use the Force to move objects. He could see them as young men, being inaugurated into the Knights, given their names. They were training, learning to better themselves. Their favorite pastime. It was only recently that Zusnak began winning, and even then only by the smallest fraction of judgement. Zusnak and Deashed were brothers. Nyhl may have been the most loyal of the Knights, but even he did not feel the rage that was coursing through Zusnak’s veins and keeping him alive. If Deashed’s death would have been something that Zusnak did not have to avenge, he would have preferred to die alongside him. Once his fingers broke skin, digging into his palms, he knew that in every decision of his life he would remember his brother. 

Dakro was torn. He didn’t know whether to be angry like Zusnak or not. He wasn’t sure if he could. As it was, he was barely keeping himself together. Before the battle, he had been the fourth oldest of the Knights. Unnu and Mhirn had given their lives for the battle that he could not win for them. Skakkard and Kruk as well. The memories of his fallen comrades was a good one: in battle where they belonged. But Unnu, Mhirn, Alryn, and Dakro had formed almost a group within themselves, an understanding rather. Being the oldest of the Knights, they four had decided to watch over the youngest additions, take special care in training the next generation. Kruk and Skakkard were like sons to him. He had hand-picked and trained them both and when they needed him most he was not there. So, he had turned himself towards the wall and began the deeply-rooted mourning process of his people that not even the Dark Side could erase. 

Poe was tired. Unlike everyone else in the room, he was not prepared for this outcome. He was not ready to be a part of the First Order. Ever. And hearing that Stecro was the person who killed his mother. The thought made him gag. Blood dripped down his face and began pooling on the floor. The sounds of the drops were the only sounds in the room. He was too tired to stand. Slowly, he sunk down with his back against the wall. Not giving up, but conserving his strength. He would fight, again and again. He would never stop fighting. And one day, he would return to his friends in the Resistance. Just like how he knew that one day the First Order would be no longer. Like how he knew that there was still some good in his childhood best friend that was sitting on the other side of the room. 

Nattu and Kylo kept exchanging glances. They were tense, waiting for Stecro to send for Kylo at any moment. The two kept wanting to confer over the situation, exchange escape plans and decide what compromises they would accept, if any. Being the leaders this was an extreme decision for them, but it was going to all be left up to Kylo. Personally, Nattu was on edge. He kept glancing around at each person in the room, wondering how they were all coping, if they thought that what they had done was the wrong decision. Secretly, he was wondering that as well. As for Kylo, his brain couldn’t focus too much on the task at hand. At a very young age he had become almost addicted to the Force. With these cuffs on he felt like he was being strangled, and he knew that he just might give in if Stecro found how much of a weakness this was for him. 

No. Kyle’s eyes shot open, staring straight ahead of him. No, he would not let that happen. The Knights of Ren would not be reduced to mere pawns in the First Order because he could not hold himself together. He was stronger than that. He was better than that. And there was nothing that General Stecro could say that would make him abandon his fellow Knights. Nothing. This was the determination with which he would face the general. This was the attitude he would have regarding anyone from the First Order who even began to give him a command. 

A stormtrooper entered the room. “Kylo Ren. The General requests your presence.” 

 

_ General Stecro's Office, SS Gauntlet _

 

Kylo entered escorted by stormtroopers. The General was relaxed, maybe even slightly annoyed at something. It made Kylo once more long for the Force. He couldn’t stand to be in a room that he hadn’t been able to thoroughly read. 

“Please, sit.” Stecro gestured to a chair across from his desk. The Knight did not sit down. 

“Kylo Ren, you are the leaders of the Knights, yes?”

It took Kylo a moment to answer. He could already taste the sour aftermath of negotiations. “Yes.” 

“Then I will present the options to you.” The old man moved himself into the chair behind his desk before leaning forward to grab his datapad. “Lord Snoke has left few options for you. Nyhl, Nattu, Zusnak, Deashed, and yourself have been requested alive. Seeing as Deashed is already gone, I would prefer that none of the rest of you need to be sacrificed. Who else is still alive?”

Kylo met the General's gaze with a violent one of his own. Stecro’s breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. It was slight, but it was there. He was afraid of Kylo. In fact, he was most likely afraid of all the Knights. Reluctantly, he answered. “Of the Knights, only Dakro. The rest were killed in battle.” 

“Well, of course, there is still Alryn Ren.” 

Stecto watched, his eyes painted with fear, as Kylo’s eyes darkened more and his jaw flexed. He could taste blood in his mouth, though he did not know where from, and he could feel anger like a pit in his stomach. Slowly and determined, he spoke. “As leader of the Knights, I declare that that man is no longer welcome among our ranks. He will hereby be known once more as only Marek Matitho.” The General opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off. “The binding of the Knights is our loyalty to one another. Marek broke that. He betrayed the Knights as a whole, therefore disgracing us and quite clearly communicating that he no longer wished to remain aligned with us. Alryn Ren died the moment he made a deal.” 

Silence filled the room. Both men could feel it hanging on them. Yet, neither spoke. Neither flinched. Neither looked away. It was a challenge to see which would fold first— to find the stronger man.

Ultimately, the General's fear overcame him. He knew that Lord Snoke would value the Knight’s life over his own and if Kylo felt the need to kill him with his bare hands, he could. 

“Isn’t that what you are here to accomplish? A deal, just like Alryn made?” 

A single step brought Kylo to the front of the General's desk, where his fist came down in the center. The sharp sound rang in the room for a moment before Kylo spat through clenched teeth, “Do not ever compare me to that weakling.” 

In the silence that followed, Stecro’s breathing could be heard as it returned to normal while he regained his composure and Kylo once more mourned the absence of the Force, wishing he could have felt the fear he put in Stecro. 

“Then what exactly are you here to do, Kylo Ren?” The General's eyes made their way back to Kylo’s. 

The Knight straightened his posture before elaborating. “What Marek did was a betrayal. It was without the knowledge of the rest of the Knights, and ended in the unwilling death of some of his sworn brothers. I have been sent to make negotiations, but know that I will not betray a single one of them. First, we all live. Second, we all leave. Third—“

“Kylo Ren, you are not in the position you think you are. Since you have shown me such hostility, I have decided to choose one of the options Lord Snoke sent to me myself. You will each be assigned to a First Order vessel. You will each be assigned a General, and you will be under that General’s discretion until otherwise noted. And that is final.” The General once more picked up his datapad, determined to look nonchalant as he scrolled through meaningless notices, glad that the Knight couldn’t feel the fear racking throughout his body. 

“Force cuffs off,” Kylo said after a thick silence. 

Stecro glanced up from his work. “Because of your rebellion, Lord Snoke has insisted that the Force cuffs remain on and that your lightsabers remain confiscated. You will now be escorted out. Your ship assignments will arrive later.”

With a deep breath to quell his anger, Kylo began towards the door. Before leaving, he paused. “What of the Resistance pilot?”

“Commander Dameron? What of him?” 

Kylo turned to find the General not even paying attention to him. “What will happen to the pilot?”

Steer looked up, a scowl on his face. “He will be tortured for information before his execution. Like all Rebel scum that happen aboard this ship.” 

“No.” 

“No?”

“No. He is valuable. Most likely doesn’t know much, but he’s the best pilot in the Resistance.”

“And now they don’t have him. It’s—“

“The First Order would be honored to have him among their ranks. He can take out triple the amount of TIE fighters that any other pilot I’ve seen. It would be wise to use him.” 

“Leave my office.” As soon as the words were spoken, Kylo was escorted back to the prison cells by stormtroopers. 

  
  


_ A Small Room For Prisoners, SS Gauntlet _

 

“So we just wait here until we’re separated?” Nyhl was livid. 

“No. No. I will kill that traitor even if I die trying, do you understand me, Kylo? That man is dead. Dead!” 

“Calm down, Zusnak. You need to keep your wits about you at this time.” Nattu held out a hand in warning. 

“I will kill him. I want to torture him. I—“

“You will have your revenge in due time, young one.” Dakro spoke and there were inward sighs of relief from the rest of the group. They all desperately needed his wisdom and advice. “You need patience, Zusnak. Marek Matitho knows that you’re coming for him and at this time is well prepared. If you wish to be successful and not simply die without completing your mission, you must wait until he is no longer so guarded. And to do so, you need to stay alive, which means going with this plan and staying with the First Order.” 

“I agree with Dakro. We must go along with the plan. Stay with the First Order.” Kylo chimed in, his word being final. 

“When will be allowed our weapons back? And these Force cuffs off?” Dakro laid a hand on Nyhl’s shoulder, steadying the kid. 

“I suspect in due time, Nyhl, the cuffs will be removed. As for when our lightsabers will be returned to us, I am not sure.” Dakro looked to Kylo for any extra information. 

“I don’t suppose they will be returned to us,” Nyhl scoffed. The room sat silent for a moment, all wondering just how much their lives had changed. 

“Do you any of you still carry your crystals?” Kylo smiled as Zusnak asked the question, knowing he was not the only one to have done so. One by one each of the Knights removed the crystals from the inner folds of their robes. 

“Now all we need is a way to make them work,” Nyhl sighed. 

Dakro spoke up once more. “Once we have the Force back it will be easy to find the right pieces. These are the most elusive parts and would require us to travel great distances to find replacements. You should be able to fashion the metal parts out of what you find on the ship you’re assigned to.” 

Discussions amongst the Knights continued as they discussed future courses of action: what they would compromise and what they wouldn’t, when they would reconvene, what-if circumstances. They were interrupted when Poe spoke up. 

“What’d he say about me?” 

Silence. All of the Knights averted their eyes until Kylo reluctantly addressed Poe. "You will most likely be executed." 

"That's it? Just--" He made a slicing motion across his neck. 

"Most likely you will be tortured for information first. I tried to bargain for your life, but the General wouldn't have it." Before Poe could respond to that, Kylo decided it wise to redirect the conversation. "You should all meditate. The rest will benefit you. Sleep would not be wise for a while, not until your Force cuffs are off. Survive on the meditation like during your training--"

"During our training we had the Force to rejuvenate us." 

"Zusnak, you are bitter. If you sleep, that bitterness will settle. It will plague your dreams and drive you to be even more exhausted. Sleep when you must, but avoid doing so excessively. These new environments are not places to let your guard down, especially not without the Force. You are unaware. Sleep deprived will be better than killed in your sleep." 

Eventually, the Knights took his advice, meditating in a circle. Kylo kept his eyes open, watching his former best friend worried sick on the other side of the room, death at his doorstep. 

  
  


_ A Small Room for Prisoners, SS Gauntlet  _

 

Poe awoke with a start at the sound of the door being opened. The Knights reluctantly pulled themselves from a long meditation session, all cringing at the light from the hallway. 

A group of Stormtroopers stood in the doorway, a Captain in the center holding a datapad. As he began to read, Stormtroopers filed in, two at a time, ready to escort the Knights to shuttles. "Nattu Ren, assigned to _The_ _BC Storm_ , Zusnak Ren assigned to _The Executioner_ , Dakro Ren assigned to _Imperial_ , Nyhl Ren assigned to _The Finalizer,_ and Kylo Ren assigned to the _SS Gauntlet_. Former Resistance Commander Poe Dameron has had his presence requested on _The Finalizer_." Kylo exchanged solemn glances with each fellow Knight as they past him, bowing his head in respect. The Knights held their heads up high and walked with whatever pride they had, determined to not be reduced to First Order pawns. 

As Poe passed Kylo, he stopped. The Stormtroopers tried to force him to continue moving but Poe remained still. He stared into Kylo's eyes long and hard. It wasn't a nice stare. It wasn't a stare of gratefulness nor one nostalgic for their days as children. This was a look of hate. He was on a death march, and Kylo had brought it upon him. Poe wanted Kylo to remember his face, remember what he looked like in the days before his death. The best pilot in the Resistance. Captured because of an old friend. 

Instead of taking Kylo to somewhere else, the Captain ignored him, closing him alone in the room. He sunk to sitting once more, pressing his back against a wall. He needed a plan. The rest of the Knights were counting on him, what little were left. 

As much as it pained him, the only solution he could see that would keep the Knights safe was submission. They needed to lay low. The idea tasted like poison and felt like the cold absence after a lightsaber burn, but there was nothing else he could do. The Generals would give good reports and eventually Snoke would be lenient once more. In fact, that would probably come sooner than he expected. Even despite this minor setback, Snoke still trusted his precious apprentices more than disposable and replaceable Generals. It was rumored that only one handpicked General in the First Order had met Snoke in person. Out of the seven four-star Generals, most hadn't even had orders given directly from Snoke. 

The First Order was planning something. Kylo had heard musings about a new weapon, much like the Death Stars of the past. The General who ran that was the General that Kylo wanted to get to know. The General who ran that was the General who would work directly with Snoke. Considering Snoke had most likely had a say in the ship assignments, Kylo assumed Stecro was in charge of this new weapon. He was interested to learn. 

 

__________

 

Too much time passed. Kylo knew that by now the rest of the Knights were on their ships. He had been given no word of any sort when the door finally opened once more. 

He was standing before the Stormtrooper escort was visible in the hallway. "General Stecro requests your presence." As Kylo stepped into the hallway he vaguely wondered why he was being followed by not two Stormtroopers but seven. 

The walk to Stecro's office was stiff. That was the only way to describe it. Kylo didn't need the Force to read the unstable and anxious body language under the armor around him. Something was wrong. Something happened that was bad enough to have the General worried that he would do something violent. 

  
  


_ General Stecro's Office, SS Gauntlet  _

 

The air was cold. Stecro was standing when Kylo entered the room. He was behind his desk, hands clasped behind his back. Military. Structured. Prepared. Staring straight ahead. Kylo noticed the Stormtroopers did not wait in the hallway. Two remained in the room with him. 

"General..." The word hung in the room, dense between them. 

"Kylo Ren, I'm afraid there is some bad news." Everyone was tense. 

"What happened." He hadn't been told anything for days, not even fed or let out of the cage they put him in and they expect him to react well to bad news? 

"En route to  _ The Finalizer _ , a transportation battalion was attacked by Resistance aiming to get their Commander back. They--" For a moment Stecro's eyes met Kylo's. "They-- attacked the wrong one. Nyhl Ren has been severely injured. He--"

"What?" Kylo snapped. "Why did he not have adequate protection, General?"

"Many of the Stormtroopers on board were killed and could not protect--" 

"He was not given a weapon because of the attack?"

"You must understand that the Knights of Ren are currently prisoners of the First Ord--"

"Prisoners? Prisoners? Do not think for one second that the Supreme Leader would value your life over that of his Knights. We are his apprentices, and even if we are not currently the most prized piece of his plan, we are not simply a position that can be refilled in case of death, General." Kylo could hear the Stormtroopers behind him tensing. He didn't care and began taking steps toward Stecro, the desk still separating them. "You are disposable. Replaceable. The Knights are hand-picked Force Sensitives, personally trained--"

"And currently reduced to nothing." Stecro hissed the sentence through his teeth, leaning forward as he spoke. "You are my subordinate and--"

He was cut off when Kylo wrapped his large hand around the General's throat. "I could kill you. You think that just because I have the Force I've never killed with my bare hands?" His voice was low and despite the close proximity of the Stormtroopers attempting to drag him away, only Stecro could hear him. "You think just because I have a lightsaber that I've never killed without a weapon? You are replaceable. I am not your subordinate and I will deal with the repercussions Snoke gives to me for your death." 

Kylo didn't pay attention to how many Stormtroopers were attempting to pull him off the General. A couple wrapped their arms around his torso and pulled so hard that both Stecro and the desk moved back as well. Every time Stecro's nails dug another groove into his hand, Kylo squeezed tighter. And tighter. And tighter until Stecro's eyes rolled back in his head and the scratching stopped. The Stormtroopers immediately became more frantic but Kylo Ren did not loosen his grip on General Stecro's neck until he could no longer feel the faint pulsing beneath his fingers. 

  
  


_ The Finalizer, Bridge _

 

"Sir, are you certain requesting his transfer is a good idea?" 

"Are you questioning me, Lieutenant?" Lieutenant Mitika shrunk at the confrontation from his General. 

"No, sir. I am just-- concerned for your-- safety, considering the Knight did strangle General Stecro with his bare hands and--"

"General Stecro was old and weak. I was promised a Knight of Ren and that promise was not delivered upon. Despite his outbursts, he is still the strongest of the Knights, or so I have heard, and I am rather offended that he was not assigned to  _ The Finalizer _ in the first place." 

"Sir, if I may--"

"You may not Lieutenant." Mitika was silenced with a slicing glare. "Submit the transfer request." 

"Yes, sir."   
  


 

_ First Order Transportation Ship Holding Cell _

 

There had been a transfer request. So far, Kylo had recieved no update on Nyhl’s condition and he was aching to have the Force back. If only he could reach out to Nyhl.... For many reasons, all of the Knights had taken a liking to the kid. He was so eager to learn. If his life had been cut short by Stecro’s carlessness the entire First Order would pay. 

Kylo felt weak. There were sedatives in his system, aimed to keep him compliant while in transit. However, they were wearing off and each time a Stormtrooper came to give him a fresh dose, they were scared off if Kylo even flinched in their direction. 

As a result of his actions, Kylo was now chained as well. His Force cuffs had been tied together and there was a chain connecting them to his ankles. It almost made him curious to see how else he could be contained while continuing to instil fear. 

Arriving on  _ The Finalizer _ , Kylo was surprised to find no special precautions in place for his arrival. The cargo bay was bustling with activity as usual, there was no extra Stormtrooper escort other than those who had been on the transport ship, and the General was nowhere to be seen. He was marched down the ramp, Stormtroopers surrounding him, and was astonished to see that no one on  _ The Finalizer _ even hesitated or looked in his direction. As they continued farther into the ship, some of the Stormtroopers that were escorting him were given orders to be other places until there were only two guarding Kylo at all-- one on each side. It was confusing to Kylo: wasn’t everyone on board terrified on board terrified of him?

He was taken to the bridge. When the doors opened, none of the officers even turned to look at him. Every gaze was directed at their work or looking to a man in the center for direction. Kylo watched this man from behind as orders were delegated and questions were answered. His posture and stance were, again, military. Kylo stood between the two silent Stormtroopers as the bridge continued to ignore him. Finally, he had enough. 

Kylo lashed out, shaking his body and bringing and elbow up to connect with the helmet of the Stormtrooper on his right. Easily, he was out of their grip and the officers of the bridge quieted and faced him. The redheaded man in the center did not. He continued to give orders to the petty officer who was standing next to him who was  attempting to maintain his concentration but was sufficiently distracted by Kylo’s outburst. Once the order was finished, the petty officer ran off and the man in the center of it all turned around to face Kylo. 

He was young. Younger than Kylo had expected. This man must not have been the General. No General was that young. Yet, the bridge didn’t seem to dare to move without his approval. 

“And who are you?” Kylo’s voice rang out, the entire bridge waiting to hear how their General would respond. 

“General Hux. This is my ship-- anyone who boards is under my command and that includes you. You are Kylo Ren, I presume?”

“Where is Nyhl?” 

“I would like you to know that things work differently on my ship than they do on Stecro’s. Here, I am in charge and you cannot intimidate me.” 

Ah, Kylo thought. So that’s what this was. This was all a setup so that this General could show off in front of his entire crew. A power play. Well, he wasn’t going to win. 

“The last General who tried to tell me what to do died before I ever listened.” The bridge was tense. Not one of the officers was going to look away from this. 

“Is that supposed to intimidate me? You must realize that I requested your transfer after the news of General Stecro’s death, yes? I don’t care about the power you think you have. It holds no ground here. You will be allowed to see your fellow Knight once he has regained consciousness. Until then, you will be escorted to your quarters.” General Hux nodded, and turned. As his eyes swept across the room the bridge jumped back into motion without hesitation. The Stormtroopers at Kylo’s sides regained their grip on his arms and began to force him towards the bridge exit. Once more, Kylo moved faster than they could dodge and this time left them both on the groaning on the ground. The bridge faced him once more as he jumped, swinging his wrists under his ankles, bringing his hands in front of them, landing and walking towards General Hux. 

Kylo stepped toe-to-toe with the man, his hands shooting out to wrap around the General’s throat. When this elicited no reaction, Kylo hesitated for a moment before pressing his fingers into the sides, feeling the windpipe close. Slowly, General Hux’s hands reached up to wrap around Kylo’s wrists. 

A loud clang rang across the bridge as the Force cuffs hit the metal of the floor. 

Kylo tried not to gasp as the Force came flooding back to him. He felt the shock of every person on the bridge. And, right in front of him, he focused on the fear of the--

He wasn’t afraid. There was no fear. Now that Kylo looked, he could see the calm in the man’s eyes and feel the utter lack of terror that should accompany being strangled. Everyone else on board was on edge as a result of Kylo’s prescence. But not General Hux. 

The realization was staggering and Kylo’s hands dropped in shock as he stumbled away from the General, unsure of what to feel. 

He felt the Stormtroopers take hold of his arms once more as General Hux spoke again. “Do you feel that, Ren? You can’t intimidate me. Take him away.”  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so just for clarification: 
> 
> survivors  
> -Kylo Ren  
> -Poe Dameron  
> -Nattu Ren  
> -Alryn Ren (Marek Matitho)  
> -Zusnak Ren  
> -Dakro Ren  
> -Nyhl Ren  
> -General Stecro
> 
> lost  
> -Deashed Ren  
> -Himrec Ren  
> -Mhirn Ren  
> -Unnu Ren  
> -Kruk Ren  
> -Skakkard Ren


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUESS WHAT WE'RE GONNA MEET FINN (briefly, very briefly. This chapter actually focuses on Nyhl quite a bit. We will get Stormpilot interactions in the next chapter I PROMISE)

_The Finalizer_

 

Kylo had been called to the General’s office. So far, he had been on the ship for a single cycle and Kylo had been surprised to find that the doors to his quarters weren’t locked. He was free to come and go as he pleased. However, he had chosen not to leave his quarters. Being cordial with the crew was not something Kylo was looking forward to having to do, ever. The entire cycle had been spent meditating, uninterrupted, and allowing the Force to run freely through him. With this he was able to make contact with each of his knights, placing thoughts into their minds. Everyone seemed to be doing alright from what he could tell by their thoughts. 

 

Now, Kylo was walking through the halls of the ship, escorted by two Stormtroopers. They had shown up and informed him that the General had requested his presence and Kylo was now having to walk past the watchful and fearful eyes of the ship’s officers as he walked between the troopers. With his Force cuffs off, he reveled in their fear. 

 

General Hux’s office was nearly identical to General Stecro’s. Kylo felt confidence run through him as he remembered feeling Stecro’s pulse dwindle under his fingers. Then his eyes settled on General Hux and his confidence was nearly shattered.

 

Here was a man who was not afraid of Kylo Ren. It was obvious and it was delusional. 

 

Putting his work aside, Hux looked up at Kylo and nodded for the Stormtroopers to leave them. 

 

“So, I hear that you are the most skilled of the Knights of Ren, is that true?” 

 

“Yes, and if you doubt that I can prove it to you easily.” Kyle’s response was quick but not cunning. It lacked his usual snark. In front of Hux, he felt completely inadequate. 

 

“Would you? How so? By Force choking me this time? You weren’t successful the first time so what makes you think that that could intimidate me now?” Kylo faltered for a moment, unsure of how to respond in the intended pause, so Hux continued. “I had originally requested the most proficient of the Knights on board this ship, yet I was sent the newest and youngest instead of you. Why do you think this is?”

 

“Nyhl shows great potential and—“

 

“And you are too insubordinate for this job?” Hux offered. 

 

“How dare you insult the Master of the Knights of—“ 

 

“Clearly you are not the best of them. Or you would have been assigned to me in the first place.” Hux’s voice was firm, and left no room for argument. “Take a seat, Ren.” 

 

With almost no hesitation, Kylo complied. “I do believe that Nyhl has great potential. When he is fully recovered, I expect you to continue his training. In the meantime, I was promised a Knight and a Knight I will have. Do you know what I am in charge of building?”

 

Kylo didn’t feel like responding, but the way Hux was looking at him almost made Kylo afraid of him. “It’s the next Death Star.”

 

“The Death Stars were only a fraction of the potential that we can create with a weapon. By my design, the First Order is crafting a weapon much larger than a Death Star that will have the capability to wipe entire  _systems_  out of existence in a single firing. With a weapon like this, there is no planet in the galaxy that will not surrender to the First Order.” 

 

Kylo was speechless. He knew the First Order was building a weapon of mass destruction— something that would change the entire war— but even he had imagined that something like this could even be possible. 

 

The only response Kylo could think of was, “And why do you need a Knight so badly?”

 

Hux leaned back in his chair, looking like he was almost deciding what he should tell Kylo. After apparently deciding on an answer, he leaned forward once more. “Many reasons. First of all, I need to be able to focus on the construction of Starkiller Base and not constantly have to fend off petty attacks by the Resistance. Second, the First Order needs more allies. I’m not sure if you’ve been keeping up to date on where the galaxy lies, but the majority of influential planets are aligned with the Resistance, while the First Order controls the Outer Rim. The Knights of Ren are known as a group that no one wants to go against.

 

“I tried to convince the Supreme Leader that it would be useful for the Knights to act as a cohesive group meant to intimidate planets into changing their alliances, but as a result of your, for lack of a better term resistance, he ultimately decided that it would be a good idea to keep you separate, at least for now. Once I know that I can trust you, you will become the second-in-command on this ship for a short time before I transfer to working, for the most part, on _Starkiller Base_ and you defend the base with the _Finalizer_. Is that clear?”

 

Kylo didn’t quite know how to respond to that. He thought Hux was going to make this entire conversation about ‘I’m better than you,’ but it seemed like the man was willing to put a lot of confidence in him. 

 

"Kylo, do you understand?" He continued to sit in front of Hux, silently thinking. 

 

"I'll need my light saber," he eventually responded. 

 

"I'm afraid that's not going to be happening anytime soon." 

 

"You understand that your intimidation plan doesn't really work all that well if I'm weaponless, don't you?"

 

Hux leaned forward. "You're the one who's Force sensitive. Tell me, does my crew seem intimidated by you? By your mere prescience?"

 

"I think it had more to do with when I almost killed you on the bridge."

 

The man almost smiled. "That may have made you less intimidating. Think about it: you didn't actually go through with it. Remember, Ren, that my crew may be afraid of you, but they are afraid of me more."

 

Hux looked back down at his work, the conversation taking a pause, but definitely not over. Kylo couldn't handle it anymore. He had a question that was itching at him and he had to know. "Why?" He burst out. "Why are you so intimidating? Why is everyone afraid of you? What have you even done? How did you even get here this young? Why aren't you afraid of me?"

 

Hux was silent for a moment, unsure of which question to respond to. "Ren, it's just who I am as a person. And I'm not afraid of you because I have no reason to be." 

 

Kylo was almost speechless. "Don't-- You don't-- What do you mean you don't-- You--" He took a breath trying to compose himself. "You have _every_ reason to fear me."

 

Hux raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Without furthering that specific conversation, he picked up his datapad and changed the topic. "I want to know the abilities of all of your knights." He scrolled to a list of names and began to read through them. "Let's start with...wait. Which knights died in the battle?"

 

"We lost Himrec, Mhirn, Unnu, Kruk, and Skakkard in the battle." Kylo paused, unsure if he should mention Deashed yet or not. He figured Hux had probably been informed. 

 

"Five? That is...unfortunate. Tell me about Alryn Ren, the one who--"

 

"Marek Matitho."

 

"Excuse me?" Hux looked up at Kylo, not understanding. 

 

"We lost five knights in battle but overall we lost seven knights as a result of this. Marek Matitho was stripped of his title when he betrayed the Knights and will only be known as he was before he joined. Alryn Ren died when he betrayed us."

 

"Well, he's still on here as Alryn. That will have to be fixed." Kylo looked up, surprised that Hux had accepted what Kylo said. "Who else did you lose?"

 

Hux watched Kylo's eyes close and his breathing become deep and uneven. It was obvious that the Knights were still in mourning for those that they have lost. Opening his eyes and regaining his composure, Kylo spoke. "Deashed. Marek killed him." The muscles in Kylo's jaw worked before he continued. "He was given the death of a traitor. He deserved to have died in battle." 

 

"I see." The hair was heavy during the pause. "Now, about the remainder of the Knights of Ren. Who is second to you?" 

 

"That would be Nattu Ren. He is my right hand. We are very similar in all of our abilities, tactics, and talents. He is around my age, but slightly younger in his learning. After Nattu was Deashed." A pause. "Now, the third in our ranks is Zusnak. He is very respectable. Our most recent addition has risen very high, especially in terms of company and Nattu and I consider Nyhl to be next. Following would be Dakro, a very respectable warrior. That is all the Knights we have left."

 

Hux told this all in a moment before responding. "That is...unfortunate." There was a pause, as it hung in the air. Hux looked at his datapad, reviewing which Generals had a Knight assigned to them. He had sincerely hoped that this wouldn't happen. The First Order needed the Knights. Surely there had to be more Force-Sensitives in the galaxy. A new thought occurred to him. "Are all the Knights male?"

 

"Yes."

 

The confusion was evident on Hux's face. And, being someone who did not usually look confused, it seemed out of place. He couldn't find a reason. "Why?" He asked, giving up. "Are you sexist? I know it's not only men who are Force-sensitive. Why don't you accept women? I don't under--"

 

"You misunderstand me. It's not that the Knights don't accept women." He paused for a moment, not sure if he wanted to say this. It was something of a secret. "Have you ever heard of Darth Maul?" 

 

"Yes," Hux answered, unsure what the  apprentice of the former Emperor had to do with the Knights. 

 

"Do you know who created him?"

 

"Emperor Palpatine. Darth Sidious." 

 

Kylo shook his head. "Before that. Before that, it was Mother Talzin. She was the Mother of the Nightsisters. They lived on Dathomir. The planet is a matriarchy where the men live in isolation from the women, scared. Because the women are the Nightsisters. They are not all Force-Sensitive. But there are other ways to the Force than mitochlorians. And the Nightsisters practice one of these ways. Many call it witchcraft.

 

"Mother Talzin has since rejoined the Force. But while she was still alive, Dathomir came under attack. To save her people...well in the end, a child was taken by the Jedi. She was trained as a Jedi. When she fell to the Dark Side, she became Darth Tyranus' apprentice and grew so strong he ordered her to be killed. After a series of other events that aren't important in this story, she eventually created the next generation of the Nightsisters after they had all been killed by Tyranus' troops, trying to find her. Her name is Asajj Ventress. She became the Mother of all the Force-Sensitive women in the galaxy." 

 

Kylo finished, letting Hux have time to respond. "If they are so prestigious that they reject some and accept others then why haven't I heard of them?"

 

Kylo almost laughed. "That's the entire point. No one knows about them. They run the galaxy. They pull the strings. There's no government they don't control. Random deaths, random explosions, the start of wars and the end of wars. I understand they've only been operating for a few generations but....It's how the Empire took control and how they lost it." 

 

Hux's face twitched. Just once, but it was enough to make Kylo curious what he was thinking. Reaching out with the Force, he felt along the edges of Hux's mind. Not close enough to be felt, but enough that he could get a vague idea. There was a small bit of resentment there. A bit of anger. Curiosity taking over, Kylo pushed farther, letting the thoughts come into the clear. 

 

Hux was still wondering why he hadn't heard of them. If they controlled the galaxy, someone had to know about them. The important people. The people the Nightsisters needed to control. That's twice within the past three cycles he has been proven not worthy of the power that--

 

Kylo withdrew to find Hux staring at him, indignant. "I felt that." 

 

"I know." They stared at each other, neither moving, challenging. 

 

"Don't do it again." Hux's eyes were unwavering, but Kylo wasn't about to give up either. 

 

"No promises." The air hung heavy between them. Leaning forward, Kylo spoke again, quieter this time. "Don't worry. The only people who know about them are those who are Nightsisters and those who have been rejected. And, I guess, those like you who have been told." He leaned back, smirking as if he has just shared a secret. Actually, he had. 

 

Hux didn't look pleased. "Stay out of my head." 

 

"No promises," Kylo sat, still smirking. 

 

There was a long pause, where they both held eye contact. "That was all I needed to speak to you about." Neither moved. 

 

Eventually, Kylo sighed, standing. He turned to leave but just before the door opened he remembered something and turned to ask Hux, who was already back to work. "Why did you request Commander Dameron on board?"

 

Hux responded without looking up. "He could be useful."

 

"So you're going to torture him and kill him?"

 

"Are you mad?" Hux's eyes shot up. "I've seen him fly; talent like that can't just be wasted. As I said, he could be useful. All he needs is a bit of convincing to work for the First Order and I intend to provide him with some." 

 

Kylo was glad to hear it. He never should have involved Poe in the first place. Without saying anything more to the General, Kylo left the room and returned to his quarters. 

 

 

_Kylo Ren's Quarters, The Finalizer_

 

His comm beeped, startling him out of his meditation. It had been three weeks since his talk with General Hux and he had sat on the same spot on the floor for most of that time, only occasionally taking breaks. He raised himself out of the folded up position slowly, trying not to grimace at the pain in his legs from sitting for so long. He unfolded them slowly, stretching and letting his comm go off once more as a reminder. When he was finally ready to stand, he picked up the device and was told that Nyhl had awoken from his induced coma of his own accord and that there was a struggle in the medbay. 

 

Scrambling up, Kylo left his helmet as he attempted to run out of the room. His legs failed him a few times on his way to the medbay and he had started moving too fast too soon. The world was passing in and out of his vision as a result from lack of food. He hadn't eaten for two weeks, only drank a little water here and there. Even at that, he wasn't as hydrated as he should be. Something in him definitely did not trust the droid system that he had bring him his food. It was much too easy intercepted and poisoned. Now, however, he regretted his choice as he stumbled his way to the medbay-- to Nhyl. 

 

As soon as he got in the door, he began to fall over. A nurse caught his side as he tipped, propping him back onto his feet before rushing to help in the chaos. Placing a hand on the wall to steady himself, Kylo took a look around the room. Everything was chaos. 

 

There were medical instruments and furniture flying everywhere, doctors and nurses trying to get past what seemed like a barricade in the back. More and more was building up and all of the medical officers were yelling, trying to get this all sorted out. A group of nurses began pulling at a bed that had been flipped on it's side and seemed to be the main structure of the barricade. They were heaving and pulling and everything was so loud and Kylo was so exhausted and the Force was just...screaming. It was all too much. 

 

His eyes closed, and he felt everything stop. And when he opened them again, he saw that everything had, in fact, stopped. All of the sound had been flicked off and various medical instruments were paused in their flight. No one moved. It was like time stood still. 

 

Breathing deeply, Kylo began moving things out of the way from where he stood. The barricade slowly was taken apart, objects moved out of the way until Kylo could see Nyhl. And, once he could see him, he could also hear him. The one voice in the medbay that hadn't been shut off. 

 

He was sobbing. For now, it was soft, but Kylo could tell all that with all the chaos it had been violent. The poor kid's breathing was still recovering. His mask was off, and his palms were laid flat against his ears, eyes scrunched shut and in obvious pain. His knees were touching his chest as sat in the corner with his back against the wall, panicking. And inside, one long and bloodcurdling scream was emanating from his mind. That's why the Force was screaming. It was Nyhl. 

 

In the midst of the breakdown, the Force had simultaneously pulled in to and pushed out from Nyhl. As the Force is his comfort, it had rushed to him, blocking off the rest of the world. But as Nyhl's panic surged from him the Force did as well, likely knocking every person in the vicinity back hard enough to give them a concussion. It was only now that Kylo looked to his side and behind and saw people laying unconscious. There were bloody and broken noses, broken jaws, snapped arms, bones lying out in the open. At the head of one of the bodies was a pile of grey matter. Nyhl's soft sobs pulled Kylo's gaze away from the corpses. 

 

Once enough space had been cleared, Kylo slowly made his way to Nyhl past the people who were all frozen in place, watching him. Stooping in front of his shaking body, Kylo reached out with Force, uneasy about touching him physically. 

 

With great care, Kylo entered Nyhl's mind. Keeping his hold on his surroundings as well as the frozen space of the medbay became increasingly difficult as he spent more time so close to the source of the mind-piercing 

scream. 

 

_Nyhl_ , he tried to reach out. The scream drowned his voice inside Nyhl's mind. He tried again. Nothing. He tried to remember what calms Nyhl during the worst of times. When he first started, there was a chant, some sort of a mantra that he used when meditating to focus himself. It was during the first month that Nyhl had been traveling with them: they had made a stop somewhere and he met his mother. It had been an entire sidetrack of two months where the Knights left him on that planet and he almost abandoned them for good. He came back to them when his mother died, the Dark Side solidified in him. But, his mother had told him about the Force. She had told him about their family, and their family's history with the Force. 

 

The chant, it was connected. It was something from generations ago. The family had been ripped apart many times. Nyhl had been taken from his mother and his mother had been taken from hers. Her mother had been taken from her family, and the Force connection. Where was that damn family from? 

 

He tried to think, tried to remember what Nyhl had told them of his mother's stories, trying to jog his memory. They were from.... Kylo couldn't remember. But he knew that he had connected the chant to that place. There was something there. 

 

The Death Star. That's why Nyhl hated the Empire. The Death Star had ripped his family apart it-- Jedha. He was Jedhan. The chant it was--

 

_I am one with the Force and the Force is with me._ That was it. Kylo sat, focusing only on those words. He didn't try and talk over the screaming, he just calmly placed the words in Nyhl's mind, leaving them there. Eventually, the scream began to quiet until there was only a small, terrified sob. Kylo opened his eyes. 

 

He continually forgot how young Nyhl is. Only fourteen common years, and only part of the Knights for six months. His palms were still flattened against the side of his head, quiet sobbing penetrating the room. The poor kid had been through so much. He didn't deserve this. Watching him crouched in the hospital clothes, tears coating his cheeks, absolutely terrified, Kylo was almost sorry that they had let the child into the Knights. Kylo reached out and wrapped his fingers around Nyhl's wrists, watching his chest heave. 

 

"Nyhl. Nyhl, everything is okay." He pulled, and Nyhl began to hyperventilate as his hands moved from his ears. "Nyhl..." A cry broke out and he felt hands grip his, holding on like an airlock had been opened. 

 

Eyes still closed, Nyhl lurched forward, wrapping his arms around Kylo and burying his face, not wanting to be present in the world. The moment they connected, the Force around Nyhl shattered. All floating objects in the room dropped. Kylo let go, and all the nurses and officers began moving again. The barricade fell. And Nyhl held on for his life. 

 

 

_Medbay, The Finalizer_

 

Kylo sat in a chair next to Nyhl's bed. Around them, nurses and doctors and droids were putting the room back together, carrying off bodies. Nyhl was sitting, hands in his lap and tears still drying on his face. His eyes were red and puffy and Kylo had never seen him look younger. 

 

A nurse wandered over with a chart, asking if she could take vitals. Nyhl was drawn back from the vacant place he had been, looking to her and nodding. She seemed very hesitant to touch him, but began filling out her chart and taking things like blood samples. Once she was finished with him, she turned to Kylo and asked if she could take his vitals. 

 

"Why?" 

 

She avoided looking into his eyes as she responded. "Sir, you've barely been able to stand. You're very pale and...and you seem like you exerted quite a bit of effort when you--"

 

"Fine," Kylo responded, sticking his arm out and allowing her to draw blood. 

 

She left and Kylo and Nyhl just looked at each other. It was a long time before either spoke, but Nyhl broke the silence first. "They took the Force cuffs off." 

 

"Yes, they didn't want anything like that on you while in the coma. It could have lead to misinterpreting your vitals." 

 

"No, they took the Force cuffs off of you." 

 

"Oh. That."

 

"When? What about the others do they--"

 

"Only us."

 

"Oh. Why?"

 

"General Hux made a power move. Took the cuffs off in front of the entire bridge. It was an entire scene. He had provoked me and he knew what I had done to General Stecro and--"

 

"What did you do to Stecro?" Kylo had forgotten how long Nyhl had been removed from the world. 

 

"Right. When I heard about the attack. He told me that there were not sufficient troops on board your ship and that you were not given any sort of weapon to defend your life with. I strangled him with my bare hands until he went cold. I attempted to do the same to General Hux. As I said, he made it a power move and instead...removed the cuffs. It was-- I can't describe it, Nyhl. Because as all the Force came rushing back to me....I knew he wasn't afraid."

 

"What?" Nyhl looked completely confused, not understanding. 

 

"He's not afraid of me. He's not afraid of the _Knights_. I don't know why. My Force cuffs were taken off and I'm allowed complete mobility on board the ship and eventually I will be co-commander of the _Finalizer_. Completely unafraid." 

 

The look on Nyhl's face was unreadable. "I want to meet him," he said. He began to stand. Immediately, Kylo shot up, pressing him back down. 

 

"We can figure that out later. For now, you need to rest." 

 

Nyhl sat, obviously not comfortable with Kylo's decision. "Tell me about him." Kylo hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I mean, you mentioned he made a power move on you which means he's probably one of those Generals that just cares about power. Is he like Stecro?" 

 

Now that Kylo knew the answer to. "He's nothing like Stecro. He's nothing like any General I've met in my life. And that's...saying something. I've met quite a few." Kylo sat before continuing. "He has plans. He knows what he's doing and where he wants to go. It isn't all about power with him. Sure, he obviously wants that but...." His thought trailed off, trying to find the right words. Kylo shifted as he spoke again. "It's like he doesn't need to be power hungry. Power kneels to him. Everyone who knows who he is is afraid of him-- as much if not more than they are of me. He's just, intimidating, yet collected. Like he's got his entire life figured out." Kylo chucked, remembering how Hux was an uptight person who was the epitome of order and control. "In fact, he probably has his entire life planned to at least the hour. 

 

He's making this weapon. Here. It's called 'Starkiller'. Many are saying that it's just a revamp of the Death Star--" Kylo noticed Nyhl tense at the mention. "--but it's more than the Death Star. Instead of exploding a planet, it can make systems evaporate. He engineered the entire thing and under his watch, I'm sure nothing will go wrong in its production. He is meticulous. Calculated. I have never met someone more confident, and rightfully so."

 

Nyhl almost smiled a little. "You almost sound like you admire him." 

 

The thought had never occurred to Kylo. "I guess a certain level of admiration is expected. Nyhl, he's my age and he has already accomplished so much." 

 

"Wait, what? I thought he was an old man or something. I was picturing someone a little more reminiscent of Tarkin."

 

Kylo actually laughed at that. "Now that you mention it, I can see some similarities between General Hux and Grand Moff Tarkin." 

 

They sat quiet for a minute or so before the conversation turned serious again with Nyhl's next question. "What do you know about the others? Is anyone else...hurt?" 

 

"No. Everyone is doing," Kylo hesitated, unsure of what word would be fitting. "...alright. None of them are in comas or dead. But, as I mentioned, we are the only ones with our Force cuffs off. I've been trying to leave them messages through the Force, but I'm not sure if they're getting them. Nattu seems to have entered a deep meditation about a week ago. Before that, he seemed fairly stable and didn't feel too far. Now, I can feel that he is physically in the same place, but mentally I cannot reach him." Noticing Nyhl closing his eyes, looking like he was about to try, he reached out a hand and touched his arm. "Don't, Nyhl. Don't try. You shouldn't be straining yourself right now." 

 

With a sigh, Nyhl took a small scoot away from Kylo. "Zusnak?"

 

Kylo blew out a large breath, not sure where to begin with Zusnak. "Physically? He's far. Not quite the other side of the galaxy but....We're in the Outer Rim and he feels like he's more at the Core. Wherever he is doesn't make a difference, though. Even without having a direct connection to the Force, his anger is so strong that it carries immensely. I don't even have to focus that much to find it. And, he's falling apart. His anger is consuming him and he's allowing himself to obsess over it. I can tell he's not eating or even meditating. It's a bad situation, Nyhl. I hope he doesn't act out so that his Force cuffs can be removed. He needs something to connect to, something to ground him before he fully spirals out of control." 

 

It was sad, really, what was happening to Zusnak. Kylo could feel it from where he was. Thinking about it stunned him and he felt as if a weight was pressing against his shoulders. "And Dakro?" Nyhl asked. 

 

Kylo shrugged. "What little information I can get tells me that he's doing alright. But, he is so far. Physically. Without him reaching out with the Force to meet me halfway, I can't contact him." It was a sad state that the Knights were in. From a dozen to five. Kylo felt like putting his head in his hands. It all seemed so useless. They shouldn't have fought in the first place. He could only wonder what Supreme Leader Snoke must think of them now. 

 

Both Knights were jostled out of their thoughts by the sound of the medbay door opening. Nyhl turned away, disinterested, when a Stormtrooper walked in. But Kylo kept watch, wondering what had happened. There was no battle that had occurred at least, not to his knowledge. Yet, there was a bloody handprint across the helmet of the trooper. From the other side of the medbay, Kylo could feel the panic inside the Stormtrooper's mind, so he watched as the trooper was sat down and his helmet was removed. 

 

As they were reading off vitals and information, Kylo caught the identification number: FN-2187. There was something different about this trooper....

 

After making sure he was alright physically he was assigned to 'take it easy' and 'keep out of combat for a while' and advised to go to reprogramming. The word reprogramming sounded foreign to be spoken like that. As if the trooper were a droid. For now, he had been assigned prison guard duty. That caught Kylo's attention. 

 

He wasn't aware that there were any prisoners on board. Maybe something had happened in the weeks he had been meditating. He should speak to General Hux about that. 

 

Once Nyhl was confirmed okay, he was told by a doctor to lay down. If it weren't for the Force, Kylo would have thought that she wasn't intimidated by them. Her look was stern and she pushed him down when Nyhl began to protest. Especially when she was backed up by the look Kylo was giving. He was given orders to rest and regain his strength. He was supposed to remain in a coma for at least another three weeks, but after what happened the doctors had listened to his wish to not be put back under. Everyone wanted to avoid another freak out. 

 

He was given sedatives and soon fell asleep. Kylo sat, watching him for a while. He felt a protectiveness for this child, like he was his responsibility. How could he have let him get hurt like this? 

 

Overwhelmed, Kylo stood and returned to his quarters, shutting himself in side and sinking to the floor, head in his hands. How could he have done this? It's not just Nyhl: all the Knights are under _his_ care. Their lives are _his_ responsibility. And he failed. So many of them died. They gave their lives for a worthless cause. He made the wrong decision. They should have surrendered. 

 

The panic was building in him. He could feel it suffocating him. He let them all die. And those who were left? Zusnak was going to get himself killed. Nyhl? He's already failed Nyhl. How did he--

 

Someone was at his door. Kylo shot up, his mask meeting his hands. He shoved it on, covering his tears and letting his breathing even. He opened the door and found General Hux standing in front of him. 

 

"Can I help you, General?" 

 

"What happened in the medbay?" The two stood on either side of the doorway. 

 

Kylo's jaw tightened, unsure of what Hux wanted to tell him. "There was an...incident--"

 

"An _incident_? I have officers and medical personnel dead and in critical condition, I have--"

 

Kylo's hand shot up, poised as if he was about to backhand Hux. But he stopped short as he saw a small flinch run across Hux's face. 

 

He lowered his hand as he felt the tidal wave of emotions rushing off of Hux. "I'm sorry-- I." Kylo stopped, clearing his throat. "Nyhl was awoken from his coma early, by his own accord. He...freaked out. I apologize." 

 

General Hux's jaw flexed, still obviously angry. "I need you to make certain that doesn't happen again."

 

"I will." Hux was avoiding looking at him. They stood awkwardly, Kylo unsure of how to act. Hux stood, his eyes fixated on a point in front of him and Kylo saw a small flash of a memory. It was Hux, being backhanded so hard he fell to the ground. Kylo watched him blink, rooted back in the present. The memory was gone faster than it had appeared. 

 

He opened his mouth to speak, but Hux beat him to it. "I think it would be a good idea if you kept a watch on him occasionally."

 

"Yes, I-- I do too." 

 

Hux gave a curt nod. "That is all." Another nod and he turned and walked away before Kylo could react. He figured it was for the best-- he probably shouldn't ask about the possible prisoner right now. 

 

Kylo took a step back, allowing the door to close. There was an odd feeling over him. It seemed like a mix of guilt and regret that was somehow distant. He shook his head sharply, trying to clear himself of the feeling. He decided he wouldn't raise his hands like that again at Hux. 

 

When he took more time to think about it, he probably shouldn't have done that anyway. Hux was the _General_ on board, after all. A very important General. And, as Nyhl had pointed out, Kylo did feel respect for him and it may be bordering on admiration. Striking an officer clearly shows that there is no respect in the relationship. If they are going to be co-commanders, Kylo needed to be clearer. They needed to be equals. Whether or not Kylo actually considered Hux his equal was another matter. 

 

Kylo sat, thinking about that question. Did he consider Hux an equal? Well, he wasn't Force sensitive in the least, so Kylo was most definitely superior in that matter. Yet, he had leadership skills that-- if recent events were any indicator-- Kylo most defiantly lacked. Of course a General would understand how to make difficult decisions when lives were at stake. He knows how to analyze a situation and refrain from choosing the route that's barely even hopeful. He was also an amazing engineer. The only thing Kylo had ever "engineered" was his lightsaber. And it was so unstable that it needed haphazard vents. And, people were more afraid of Hux than they are of Kylo. Maybe Hux wasn't his equal. Maybe he was better. 

 

Kylo took a deep breath, not sure how to deal with that thought. 

 

 

_The Finalizer_

 

He couldn't take it anymore. Kylo had walked past the holding cells multiple times and there were always guards patrolling. If there were prisoners on board, Kylo felt like he deserved to know. He was going to stop by the General's office after his shift was over. If he bothered him on the bridge, he would be even less inclined to answer Kylo's questions. To make the rest of the shift pass quicker, he stopped by the medbay to check on Nyhl. 

 

After what had happened, Kylo always felt somewhat tense walking into the medbay now. But everything was moving as normal. Kylo found Nyhl laying in his bed, awake. He saw Kylo and jolted up. 

 

"Lay back down. You sit up like that and you'll get sick." Kylo lowered himself into the chair next to the bed. 

 

Nyhl dropped back down, sighing heavily. "When will I be able to get up? They won't let me out of bed for any reason. I can't even _walk_. Kylo, you have to help me. _Get me out of here_." 

 

"You can leave when the doctors say that you can leave."

 

A loud groan came in response. "As someone who is training me, I would think that you would be concerned by how much my muscles are _atrophying_ while I'm lying in bed--"

 

Kylo looked at him sharply. "You will rest until you are cleared by the doctors. This is not my call. You will listen to them and follow their orders, do you understand?" 

 

Nyhl's eyes flashed. "But I--"

 

"No." Kylo stood in a swift move. "Nyhl, we've talked about this kind of thing." 

 

The child refrained from rolling his eyes, knowing that wouldn't help his argument. "Talked about what? Disobeying orders or keeping our heads down until the First Order molds us into their perfect, fearsome little puppets?" He sat up, anger burning between them. "You didn't tell me. But I know. That's what they want with us. We are just here to bring them power. What happened to the power being our own? I will not have my abilities manipulated by some General with a superiority com--" Nhyl's voice was silenced as Kylo's arms shot out, his mouth trapped shut. 

 

"Do not say these things. Nyhl, we have discussed this. You know what you need to do. Stay in bed or I will _make_ you stay in bed. You are not here for a General. You are here for the Knights. There are only five of us left and I will not have that number drop to four because _you_ could not control your impulses." Kylo released him and left without a word. So much for wasting time until Hux's shift was over. 

 

He decided to walk past the holding cells again, and try a different tactic this time. The stormtrooper standing guard was the same one he had seen in the medbay not too long ago. Stepping in front of him, he spoke, feeling the fear from the trooper. "FN-2187. Who is the prisoner you are guarding?" 

 

Even with the trooper being masked, Kylo heard him stutter. "He-- he. Sir, I was informed by General Hux that no one is to see the prisoner or receive any information about the prisoner. This is a top secret--" 

 

Kylo reached into his mind, foregoing his earlier tactic of trying to pull rank. The mind of FN-2187 was scrambled and it took Kylo a few agonizing minutes before he realized that the guard didn't know. With a growl, Kylo pulled himself out of the trooper's mind, leaving him gasping in a heap on the floor. "I advise you make a trip to the medbay." He turned and made his way to General Hux's office. 

 

He found that he didn't have to wait long. The clicking of Hux's boots announced his arrival as Kylo leaned against the wall next to the door. The General passed without stopping to look at Kylo, entering his office without a word, focused on his datapad. Kylo followed him in before the door even closed. 

 

"General, do you have a prisoner on board?" 

 

Hux sat down at his desk, tapping on his datapad, not responding until he had finished. "Why is it of any concern to you?" 

 

Kylo took a seat opposite him. "You said that I would eventually be the co-commander of this vessel. As co-commanders, we will have to work together and trust each other. I think we should begin with me knowing if anything of importance happens on this ship." 

 

Hux's eyes finally snapped up, sharp. "There are quite a few important things that happen on this ship and as it's future co-commander, you should be concerned with  all of them, not simply the ones that make you curious. If you want that responsibility, you can have it. You can check over these reports and sign off on them." He indicated his datapad. "But until you are ready to accept responsibility as it is and not pick the pieces convenient to you, you will have none of it." 

 

Kylo stood. "Who is in the holding cell?" 

 

"Who do you think?" 

 

"Do you have Poe Dameron in the--"

 

"Yes, Kylo. He's not technically a prisoner but I can't let him run around the ship until he has become loyal to the Order. You do understand that, yes?" 

 

"Your guards don't even know who--"

 

"Of course they don't know. They don't need to." 

 

" _Stop interrupting me_ ," Kylo growled through gritted teeth. 

 

"Did you have anything else to discuss with me?" The air was heavy. Kylo was breathing hard, angry at being interrupted but he felt Hux's calm and collected demeanor. He was detached. He didn't care. It didn't concern him or his work. But there was something else there, just under the surface. 

 

It teased Kylo, being so close, yet he wasn't able to reach it without Hux knowing. For someone who has little experience with Force-sensitives, he seemed to know how to control himself very well. It was right _there_. What was beneath that cool outer shell? 

 

In and out in a second. A flash. Kylo was able to catch very little, but Hux only flinched. It was as if he thought Kylo had invaded his mind, but he wasn't sure. And Hux wasn't going to accuse if he wasn't sure. 

 

The small fragment Kylo caught was strong. It was a mix of anger and resentment and a slight bit of betrayal and hurt mixed in. He was remembering Kylo raising his hand at him when they last spoke. And all the emotions were as a result of that. It had to have been connected to the snippet of a memory Kylo had seen earlier. 

 

This was causing a rift in their relationship. And, if they were going to be co-commanders, this was going to have to be remedied. Kylo didn't want them hating each other-- especially for the time being when Hux could still pull rank on Kylo. He needed to fix this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!! 
> 
> So, yes, Nyhl is a little baby. And I wanted to play off of him kind of seeing Kylo as somewhat of a father figure? (Nyhl needs to be protected at all costs and Kylo cares about him and they have a pure relationship) and what's that with the chant?? hmmmm i wonder....
> 
> As I said, Stormpilot will be in the next chapter. I, for one, am excited. (and if you were wondering if you were gonna see the Nightsisters in this yes you are I am so hyped and if you haven't watched the Clone Wars and met Asajj Ventress seriously just watch them for her (and Ahsoka)). 
> 
> Also, what is Kylo gonna do to fix it?? Who knows?? (not me). It's a good thing he didn't actually slap Hux tho bc that would have prevented them from ever getting together-- which they will it's just a slow burn but we'll get there. Hux still hates Kylo. (But, as Nyhl mentioned Kylo does have an /admiration/ towards Hux) 
> 
> I'm excited.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Please feel free to leave a comment and/ or message me on [ tumblr ](https://www.bumblebae8.tumblr.com)


End file.
